The week after Thanksgiving always poses a problem, the kids are re-adjusting to the school routine and the holiday frenzy is in full swing, what’s a teacher to do? Have no fear, Gingerbread Baby to the rescue! Each day we read a different version of the classic story The Gingerbread Man and on Friday we read Gingerbread Baby
Everybody makes gingerbread houses, but have you ever made a Gingerbread Baby house? I’ve included the “kid-friendly” Gingerbread Baby house directions for you below as well as a printable picture recipe for your students; keep reading to grab your copy!
Start by collecting milk cartons from the school cafeteria. Rinse the cartons and let them dry.
Ingredients:
- Graham crackers (I could only find the cinnamon graham crackers but plain are fine)
- Candy (I used M & M’s, Twizzlers, and mini candy canes but you can use whatever types of candy you prefer)
- Frosting
- Craft sticks
- Mini paper plates
- Milk cartons
- Gingerbread marshmallows
Directions:
Attach the graham crackers to the milk carton with frosting in advance and then secure the house to the paper plate with frosting. I highly recommend having a parent volunteer do this part, it’s a tough job and little ones become frustrated with graham crackers that are easily broken. Also, just so you know, these gingerbread houses are not made to withstand the tests of time.
After the houses are assembled, the students can use the popsicle sticks to spread frosting on the outside of their houses and add candy. As you can see by the picture at the top, I believe in lots of frosting to make everything stick 
So what makes this a Gingerbread Baby house instead of a plain old gingerbread house? Students add a little marshmallow gingerbread man in front of the house! Just put a dab of icing on his feet and backside to make him stand upright against the house. Can you hear the squeals of delight already?
Printable Gingerbread Baby house recipe
Click on the picture above to download the printable recipe.
What fun activities do you have to go with this classic story? Share your suggestions below.
Discover more fun activities for your Gingerbread theme here!
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{ 16 comments }
So cute!! We are definitely making gingerbread houses this year!!
Good luck Sandy, let us know how it goes!
We make “flat” gingerbread houses. I invite the parents in to help their children with their creations. It’s such a fun day! This year I’m taking lots of pictures and including them in the end of year presentation.
Great idea Alma, I bet parents love that!
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Thanks so much!
This looks like lots of fun, Vanessa! Thanks for the printable, too!
Heidi Butkus
http://heidisongs.blogspot.com
Our milk comes in bags now. It is rather gross and my students with special needs get milk everywhere trying to poke in the straw (you have to stab it like you are giving someone a shot). I miss the old milk cartons! Love the idea!
I heard about those bags, they sound like a nightmare for little kids. I banned Capri Sun drinks in my class for the same reason- they should call them Capri Fountains!
We went back to milk cartons this year from the bags and we will definitely be making these. Thanks for the great idea!
I bet you are happy about that Sarah
Those bags sound like a nightmare for little kids!
I had to say, my own children have made these in kindergarten, and they are adorable. We still have ours, though,and my kids are in 5th and 2nd grade! I just keep them in gallon ziplock bags during the year, and they have been preserved fairly well. Just thought I’d mention that. thanks for all the great ideas! Loving your site!
Thanks for the tip Beth! So glad you like the site
I have been making these houses for years. If you don’t have the milk cartons, you can pre-assemble the houses on small paper plates and use royal icing. (Walmart sells merigue powder so you don’t have to use raw egg in the icing). It dries very, very hard. I have mommies pre assemble the houses the day before we decorate. I have learned that muffin tins make great vehicles for all of the candy! I line the tins with paper liners to keep things tidy, then put one kind of candy in each muffin cup. My students sit in groups of 6, so two tins per table works nicely. We have also added gingerbread “trees” to our houses using upside down sugar ice cream cones. Cereal is a great inexpensive decorating choice and it is lightweight so it sticks easily. Fruit loops, mini shredded wheat, Kix, Cocoa Puffs, Honeycomb…they are great shapes, cover large areas on the houses, and will not break the budget.
The muffin tins are a genius idea Kim, thanks for sharing! As for the “trees” you must be reading my mind because that is another post I have lined up soon
We make these evfery year and invite the parents to help out! It is tons of fun! I make my houses in advance by hot-glueing the graham crackers to the milk cartons (i also hot-glue 2 cartons together to make the houses bigger) this way they don’t slide apart! I also try to buy name-brand graham crackers that don’t break as easily- usually at BJ’s or Costco!
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